Coming Soon

Well, Camp, for me, is over. Hallelujah. Kids were great, staff was great, God blessed it . . . that is all. Not to say it wasn't without it's issues - pray for our recuperation.

Now, I'm not quite back to my regular blogging schedule. I've still got our Territorial Music Institute coming up for the next 10 days - not sure that I'll have much blogging time there. But soon I'll be able to think again.

For those of you that know, or care, I'm one of the ones that have been dealing with the thoughts that worship may, in fact, have nothing to do with what we like, and everything to do with what God likes. No reason for me to hide that. I believe it.

One of the questions asked of me is "Why would God reject my offering?" If I offer my sacrifice to God from my heart, then He should accept it.

There's a lot to consider. As I start to write all this, I realize that it's probably too much to get into at the moment . . . . here's a synopsis:

Worship is our actions that speak to God of His value. It doesn't necessarily speak of how valuable he is TO US - but rather how much we value HIM (there's a big difference in those two statements, I hope you can see it).

Worship is not just singing. Neither is it simply praying. Neither is it speaking to God how much He's worth.

Exodus 8:1 is one of the versus where God tells Moses to go tell Pharaoh to "Let my people go" but it doesn't stop there . . . the reason God wants them let go is different depending on what version you read - some say worship God, others say work for God.

• Let my people go so that they can worship me
• Let my peopel go so that they can work for (serve) me.

Working for God is neither singing, dancing, speaking, or praying - but it is worship. In essence, worship is our 24-hour-a-day statement that God 'reviews' and puts whatever priority he deems fitting on. Our track record speaks of what we love - it is our belief in action because of who GOD IS, and in the processing supporting (or not supporting?) what we say we believe.

(I know - it sounds like salvation through works. It's not. Faith without works is dead. It's still faith, it's just dead faith. I put that priority part in for this very purpose - He PROBABLY puts more weight on our BELIEFS but He certainly still considers our actions too - it's all one big offereing).

Praise is a different thing - it's more about what God has done for US - here's my major concern: WE'RE SO TIED UP THINKING ABOUT WHAT MORE GOD CAN DO FOR US THAT WE SEEM TO MISS THAT HIS DESIRES AND EVEN THE DESIRES OF OTHER PEOPLE SHOULD COME BEFORE OURS; THAT WE ARE SELF-CENTERED CHRISTIANS.

Egocentric Christians . . . . now there's an oxy moron.

The only other point I wish to make is this. God often rejected offerings. Cain comes to mind quickly - his insufficient offering paled in comparison to his brothers. Also, interestingly, in Amos 5, see this:

²¹ "I hate, I despise your religious feasts;
I cannot stand your assemblies.

²² Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, ^[b]
I will have no regard for them.

²³ Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.

²⁴ But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!

Just because they're done FOR God, essentially, doesn't mean he wants what you're bringing. Worship, without letting justice roll on like a river, and righteousness like a never-failing stream, seems like it is turned away.

Maybe I'm interpreting that incorrectly.

Grace.